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| A morning view from "Katherina's" room. |
Let me tell you about a special place called Ios, a
beautiful Greek Island that combines peaceful beaches and cheap hotels with top
restaurants and great nights out. The various options of low-cost accommodation
make it favourite hotspot of many European students and young Australians
travelling around the World as rooms can be rented for only €10/p a night. But
those that enjoy a bit of luxury also have the choice of staying in one of the
Island’s top hotels while still paying a much cheaper fee than those charged in
most hotels in central Europe.
My husband and I stayed in a family hotel called Katherina,
which is also the name of the owner’s youngest daughter who is a great source
of entertainment for the guests. Each member of the family has a special role
in the hotel’s operation, except Katherina who is only 6. Although they all
work hard through the summer there is a clear sense of joy in their day to day
lives which makes all guests feel as comfortable as they would be in their own home.
But the best thing about “Katherina” is the magnificent view of Malapodos
Beach, which you can appreciate from any of the rooms as they all face the
beach. Its breath taking! It made my eyes shine with joy especially considering
we only paid €40 per night for the two of us. The location is also one of the
best on the Island as its in-between the beach and the main village where the
majority of bars and restaurants are based.
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| Global Gourmet, at Chora. |
A great aspect of the Island is that all the
restaurants are fairly reasonable and you rarely need to wait for a
table. My
favourite was “Global Gourmet”, a traditional Greek restaurant located in the
middle of a square in the main village of Chora where all the locals go for
dinner and drinks after work. The food was simple and delicious. Mediterranean
food has always been my favourite but I never realized how full of flavour the
Greek cuisine can be. I had a stuffed aubergine as a starter – Greeks love aubergines
and they cook it to perfection – which was almost enough for a full dinner. But
considering it was so hard to convince my husband to try a traditional local
restaurant for a change I wanted to make the most of it and taste other dishes.
So I chose mussels with tomato and feta sauce as a main, it was so good that
even “Mr. Fussy-and-Plain-Palate” who doesn’t eat seafood apart from Fish and
Chips loved it. The atmosphere of the restaurant is also a must. Hidden behind
the Cathedral and surrounded by trees covered with pink flowers, the restaurant
faces the local’s favourite bar of the village. A group of Greek musicians gather
together every night with their guitars playing traditional Greek songs and
entertaining all the guests, the most authentic square of Ios, you can’t miss
it.
Another Greek restaurant that I loved is “The Nest”, by far
the most famous and probably the first restaurant of the Island. It wasn’t Eoin’s
preferable choice but it was my favourite when I visited Ios for the first time
four years ago and I had to go back. This time I went alone while Eoin watched
a game in the famous “Fun Pub”. There were so many options that I liked that I
got a bit confused and did not know what to order. If it were not for the hot
weather I probably would have chosen something different but whenever the
thermometer reaches over 30º I can’t deal with a heavy meal. So I order grilled
mixed seafood, which was very good. But I was actually hit with food envy when
I saw stuffed tomatoes and Mutzaca being served to the table beside me. It made
me want to go back every night just to try a different dish. Although “The
Nest” is one of the most famous restaurants on the Island it can be a bit
difficult to find if it’s your first time in the Island. The restaurant is well
hidden on top of the village between narrow alleys and interminable steps and where
I got lost many times.
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| End of a sunset in Chora |
This is what makes Chora so special, if you let yourself get
lost in the picturesque village you will find a
surprise around every corner: colourful alleyways, boutiques, Art galleries,
jewellery shops and many bars. I also
highly recommend walking up to the top of the village to watch one of the most famous
sunsets of the Greek Islands – not to mention Santorini Island. This is a “Must
Go” for all visitors.
I could spend all day saying good things about Ios and why
you should add this to your list of places to go but if I had to mention one
negative aspect of the whole trip it is that it is quite a journey to get
there. There are many options to get to Ios but if you are on a budget it can
be a bit difficult. The cheapest option is to fly to Athens and from there take a ferry to Ios – a
regular ferry cost about €20 and takes 6h, the speedy one costs double but takes “only” 3h. The best option is to fly
to Santorini (note that there are limited flights two days a week during the
summer) where you can stay for two or three nights and use the opportunity to
have a romantic dinner watching the most famous sunset in Europe. There are
daily ferries from Santorini to Ios and the journey lasts only 1h. This is probably
why this paradise is still avoided by a mass of tourists travelling on a
package holiday. Ios is definitely a lay back and charming place for those that
enjoy a relaxing
day at the beach, good food, nice bars and, why not, a great
night out till the sun comes out.
If you wish to get more information about the Island and its activities please consult the website
www.loveiosgreece.com.
